Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 32, Shloka 29
द्वात्रिंशस्सर्गः
Gifts to Suyajna and the Brahmins; Trijata’s Petition and Rama’s Charity
तत्रासीत्पिङ्गलो गार्ग्यस्त्रिजटो नाम वै द्विजः।।।।क्षतवृत्तिर्वने नित्यं फालकुद्दाललाङ्गली।
tatrāsīt piṅgalo gārgyas trijaṭo nāma vai dvijaḥ | kṣata-vṛttir vane nityaṃ phāla-kuddāla-lāṅgalī ||
There lived there a brāhmaṇa named Trijaṭa—Piṅgala by complexion, of the Gārgya lineage—who always made his living in the forest by digging and tilling, equipped with a ploughshare, an iron spade, and a plough.
A brahmin by name, Trijata, a descendant of sage Garga and of reddish-brown colour used to live in that region earning his livelihood in the forest by digging the earth with an iron-spade and a plough.
FAQs
The verse highlights dignity in honest livelihood: even a brāhmaṇa may live by strenuous work when circumstances demand, reflecting endurance and integrity.
The text introduces a specific brāhmaṇa (Trijaṭa) in the setting, preparing for an episode involving poverty and relief.
Trijaṭa’s perseverance and self-reliance—he sustains his family through labor in the forest.